partiality
Americannoun
-
the state or character of being partial.
-
a favorable bias or prejudice.
the partiality of parents for their own children.
- Synonyms:
- favoritism
-
a special fondness, preference, or liking (usually followed by to orfor ).
a partiality for country living.
- Synonyms:
- predilection, bent, inclination, leaning
- Antonyms:
- dislike
noun
-
favourable prejudice or bias
-
(usually foll by for) liking or fondness
-
the state or condition of being partial
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of partiality
1375–1425; late Middle English parcialite < Medieval Latin partiālitās. See partial, -ity
Explanation
Partiality is the habit of favoring something — taking its part. If your parents always seem to let your little sister off the hook while you get grounded, you could accuse them of partiality in their parenting. They favor your sister over you. Partiality is like bias. It means that your favorite person, type of food, or way of operating tends to get priority when you’re making up your mind. A synonym for partiality is favoritism. For this reason, anyone who’s not directly benefiting from your partiality will not appreciate it. It’s unfair!
Vocabulary lists containing partiality
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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The Federalist Papers, No. 10 by James Madison
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"There is no evidence of bad faith, malice, corruption, fraud, partiality, or any want of integrity on the part of Referee Mark Lyson," the commission added.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Despite Cannon’s partiality so far, we should not write off this prospect until we see what happens.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2024
She expressed concerns about how the media attention surrounding the case will affect the partiality of the jurors.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
Thus, judicial remarks during the course of a trial that are critical or disapproving of, or even hostile to, counsel, the parties, or their cases, ordinarily do not support a bias or partiality challenge.
From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2023
Having been frequently in company with him since her return, agitation was pretty well over; the agitations of former partiality entirely so.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Out of all the bizarre vampire partialities presented as humdrum on "What We Do In the Shadows," the Staten Island housemates' unconventional, looser approach to intimacy is distinctive if not singular.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2023
They inevitably involve "animosities, partialities, influence and interest."
From Time Magazine Archive
The character of Sidney is described in terms of warm appreciation, though the partialities of the author have not clouded the fairness of his judgment.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol III, No 13, 1851 by Various
Where only persons are concerned, he was often misled by resentments or by partialities, and allowed his fancy full play.
From The International Monthly Magazine - Volume V - No II by Various
Philip, though of French extraction, had decidedly Irish partialities.
From Anecdotes of Dogs by Jesse, Edward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
